Between the stars and planets, the royal flagship Draconia sailed majestically. A real city, moreover, a walled city, more than two miles wide and well-armed, is a real miracle of engineering that people of the early twenty-first century cannot even imagine. About two thousand people lived and worked on board: pilots, technicians, engineers, guards, and various servants. And they all obeyed the will of one, or rather one, Princess Ardala, the eldest of the thirty daughters of the great Draco, the conqueror of many planets and worlds. Earth is one of the few that resisted the prospect of being absorbed and becoming part of the Draconian Empire.
The only one on this megaship who dared to contradict the Princess from time to time, and even point out her mistakes, was Kane, the Minister of Interplanetary Affairs of the Draconian Emperor and, at the same time, Ardala's advisor. A native of Earth himself, he once defected to the side of Emperor Draco, taking with him many secrets of the Earth Ministry of Defense, and remained there, not tormented by remorse in the least.
However, if this man had known in advance that the Emperor would assign him directly to his eldest daughter, then Kane probably would not have fled his home planet. For Ardala was rightfully considered one of the most beautiful women in the galaxy, but at the same time she had an extremely complex character, was subject to frequent whims, and sometimes behaved like a little girl who does not know what is "forbidden".
Lately, the Princess has been more and more overcome by melancholy and bad mood. She was left alone in her apartment for a long time and did not want to see anyone, did not attend to state affairs. Kane often had to deal with everything on his own, but there were issues that he simply had to reconcile with Ardala.
And now the minister was on his way to the Princess's chambers on such an important matter. He moved through the corridors of the flagship with a grim expression on his face. It's just that Kane didn't want to listen to the troubled Ardala's reproaches against him again. However, there was nothing to be done — the question required an urgent answer, otherwise Kane would be in for the extreme displeasure of the Emperor himself, which was not at all desirable.
After the last bend, the man stopped next to the massive double doors leading to Ardala's apartments. At the same time, Tigerman, the Princess's personal bodyguard, loomed like a rock. This formidable-looking bald man was not very intelligent, but he had impressive physical strength and was devoted to his mistress. Tigerman's face was fixed with his stern expression, but at the same time he looked at Kane with proper reverence, knowing that the minister was the second most important figure on the ship after his mistress, and there was no need to quarrel with him.
Kane responded with a meaningful look that could be deciphered as, "Well, it's still the same?" to which Tigerman shook his head. The minister took a deep breath and then knocked on the door. There was no reaction from within. Kane prepared to enter, bringing his hand to the special touch panel. Tigerman tried to stop his actions, but the minister said emphatically, "I need to talk to her! It's very urgent: an order from the Emperor Draco!"
Tigerman looked ashamed and miserable. He found himself caught between a rock and a hard place, which threatened him with punishment from the Princess for disobeying her orders not to let anyone in, or from the Emperor himself, to whom Kane would certainly have reported if Tigerman had not allowed him into Ardala's chambers. In the end, he reluctantly conceded, and Kane walked in. The doors closed behind him in an instant.
The minister found Ardala lying in her sad reverie, her head propped up with her right hand, on the couch, looking somewhere to the side. The Princess didn't even seem to hear Kane come in and greet her. It must be said that he guessed what it was, or rather, who it was. It's all Captain Buck Rogers from Earth, and Ardala can't seem to forget him.
Ah, that Rogers! A man who was accidentally frozen alive in his ship in 1987 and spent more than 500 years in this state! And it was he, Kane, who had given the order for the shuttle with Rogers' body on board to be taken to the Draconia, and then brought back to life! It was just a matter of letting the fighter pilots destroy this prehistoric piece of scrap metal. How many times after that Buck had interfered with his and the Princess's plans! Damn Rogers! Damned humanism!
After a proper pause, the minister again reminded of his presence. This time more insistently.
"Princess, I have a very urgent matter."
"Kane, how dare you disturb me?! After all, I clearly ordered no one to enter here!" Ardala expressed her displeasure in her usual irascible manner.
"I'm afraid circumstances are forcing me— your father—"
"Well, what's going on?" The Emperor's daughter relented. At the mention of her father, she always tried to keep a low profile.
Kane explained what Draco wanted, and he and the Princess discussed the necessary actions. Or rather, Kane had already planned everything, and Ardala, who did not like to deal with state affairs, only had to give her approval and sign some documents. It didn't take more than five minutes.
"All right, now leave me alone," Ardala demanded. Though the calm tone in which she said it sounded more like a request.
Kane nodded in understanding and headed back for the door, but halfway there he stopped and turned to ask a question.
"You're thinking about him, aren't you?"
"What?"
"About Captain Rogers, am I right?"
"It's none of your business!" The Princess seemed to have calmed down and flared up again. "I don't have to tell anyone who or what I'm thinking about!"
"About him, then! Why can't you just get this person out of your head? How many times has he proved by all his behavior that your feelings mean absolutely nothing to him!" Her advisor was taking a big risk by getting into the Princess's soul, but by doing so, Kane hoped to shake Ardala out of her apathy.
"Go away, Kane! I don't want to hear that!" The Princess was angry. The nostrils on the neat nose flared with anger, and his chest heaved rapidly.
Having made some progress, the minister decided not to tempt fate any longer and hurried to carry out the order of the Princess. He had almost left the room, his hand over the touch panel to open the doors, but now Ardala herself turned to her advisor.
"Kane, find out where— now is— Captain Rogers."
"Is it so necessary?" The minister was about to listen to another angry rebuke in response, but the Emperor's daughter said quite unexpectedly, "Please."
Kane tried not to betray his surprise. He just nodded his head and walked away. Ardala was once again left alone and lost in her own thoughts.
Yes, Kane's foresight did not deceive him this time either — Ardala was sad because of Buck Rogers. The last time they met in a neighboring universe was when the Draconians teamed up with Earthlings to save the planet Pendar from the enslaving Zarina, the ruler of the neighboring planet, nicknamed the War Witch. That was many months ago, and the Princess hadn't heard from Buck since, except that he was part of the crew of the research ship Searcher to roam the galaxy in search of new unexplored worlds and their inhabitants.
Ardala missed Buck very much, and all attempts to banish thoughts of him only made her want to see this man, to hear his bold, sometimes daring jokes, to feel the touch of his strong hands and— his lips on her lips. One day, it occurred to the Princess that Rogers was the most perfect man in the galaxy, both genetically and morally. She then attempted to marry him to herself, threatening to destroy Earth with the deadly beam of the battle pyramid if she did not.
Later, Ardala realized that she was wrong in her assessments, as well as in her behavior. She acted like a cranky child who is not given the toy she wants. How could Rogers count on reciprocity (genuine reciprocity) by making the fate of Buck's home planet dependent on his decision?
Still, the Princess loved Captain Buck Rogers. That is exactly what she loved. It took her a long time to realize the power of her feeling. It was authentic and unique to Ardala.
In general, the emperor's daughter did not lack attention from the opposite sex. Most of the Draconia's 2,000-strong crew were men, and the Princess had seen many looks of passion and lust. She was amused, and if Ardala had been frivolous, she would have had no trouble subduing any of them. But the girl, in spite of her difficult character, was neither stupid nor dissolute.
In the depths of her heart, she always wanted to meet the one, the one and only, handsome, brave, kind and noble. And Buck Rogers successfully combined all these qualities, firmly capturing Ardala's heart. And in spite of everything, the Princess still hoped to find her happiness with him.
To do this, the Princess will have to change a lot in her life and, most likely, lose the comfort to which she is accustomed. The girl has already made some "sacrifices". For example, she tried to behave more discreetly and courteously towards those around her. So far, however, it has not worked out very well, with the same Kane, for example.
To make herself look better in Buck's eyes, Ardala even learned how to fly a space fighter and a shuttle. The Princess chuckled, remembering how, during her escape from Zarina's ship, she had to report that she didn't even know how to turn on the engine. "Princesses don't turn on the engines!" she challenged him in the face. Well, now Rogers can't blame her for not having that skill.
Ardala studied the history of the twentieth century and the United States as best she could, so that she could show off her knowledge of the subject to Buck at their next meeting. Surely he will be pleased!
The Princess also began to dress more modestly in order to look more like earthly women. Her wardrobe was now dominated by dresses and suits, much more closed than before. It dawned on Ardala that it wasn't her body (or rather, her body) that she could attract Captain Rogers, but her whole personality.
At the last meeting, he said that she had opened up to him from a new side. This turned out to be due, of course, to the readiness to join forces against a common enemy and protect the weak. For Buck, nobility and humanism were important.
But all of this was a relatively small concession that Ardala was willing to make for the sake of love. Perhaps, she thought, something more, much more, would be needed— For some time, the Princess began to wonder if she would be able to give up her claim to the throne of Draconia if she could find happiness with Rogers through it.
Ardala, who had never known a life other than the one she was used to: luxury in everything, freedom that almost bordered on permissiveness, servility to servants and the willingness of soldiers to sacrifice themselves for her, could hardly imagine how she could give it all up. After all, she does not really know how to do anything herself, but is only accustomed to command.
But, on the other hand, the Princess has learned how to control a shuttle and a fighter! The emperor's daughter quickly mastered this wisdom, showing herself to be a very intelligent and capable student. This means that other skills are quite capable of her.
However, even if Ardala decided to take such a serious step, how would his father look at it? The Emperor Draco will probably not be happy that his eldest daughter and main contender for the throne will abandon the empire and run away to some Earthman in spite of all his plans. Come to think of it, though, he'd still have plenty of options to choose from— any one of the twenty-nine sisters would gladly take advantage of the opportunity. They waited for Ardala to make a mistake, and they were constantly plotting against her.
The Princess's thoughts smoothly brought her back to the last conversation they had with her parent, which they had just the other day. The Emperor was displeased with his daughter, considering her behavior too frivolous for the future ruler of the vast and powerful Draconian Empire. First of all, he and Kane were never able to fully explore the secrets of the Earth's defence. Without such knowledge, Draco did not dare to attack this planet, but the official truce, which was about to be a year old, began to weigh on him.
And secondly, the ruler of many planets and worlds was beginning to get tired of the fact that the eldest daughter, the last of thirty, had not yet tied the knot. There were more than a dozen applicants for the Princess's hand, but Ardala refused all of them. That was before she met Buck Rogers, and even more so after that.
But listening to the angry tirade of her father, this little puny man who, in his golden robe and bizarre crown, would remind us, the people of the early twenty-first century, of a Chinese sorcerer, the girl at some point suddenly caught herself thinking that she did not care at all. Ardala had even ceased to feel the fear and reverence for the Emperor that she usually felt in the presence of her parent—
The Princess's meditations continued for some time, until they were interrupted by Kane's re-arrival.
"So you know where Captain Rogers is?" She asked immediately. At the same time, the girl's voice did not feel the usual demandingness, but only natural impatience.
"Yes, Your Highness. My spies reported that the Searcher was on its way to Earth to relay research results, replenish supplies, and so on. They will stay there for a week, and then the expedition will continue, possibly with a different crew."
"All right, then—" The Princess broke off in mid-sentence.
Seeing that Ardala was in a moment of thought and in no hurry to finish her thought, her advisor waited for a pause and asked delicately, "Princess?"
"No, it's nothing, Kane. Thank you," and before the minister left, she added. "Later, I'll come to you in the ship's control room."
Once again alone, Ardala wasted no time in thinking. Now she knows where Buck is, so it's time to act! She need to fly to him on the Searcher as soon as possible to talk and clarify their relationship. And Ardala will fly alone, without a retinue, not as a Princess, but simply as a woman who wants to see the man she loves. Kane, of course, would object and insist on accompanying her, but the Princess was already mentally prepared for an argument with him. She had no doubt that in the end she would do everything according to her wishes. But Ardala will no longer be rude and threatening — if she wants to be worthy of Buck Rogers, she will force herself to control her emotions and never forget about politeness with anyone.
The Princess had to change her clothes for the flight. Nothing bright or provocative. She chose a rather modest suit of light blue, which, however, harmonized well with Ardala's brown hair. The girl also used perfume without a pungent saturated smell so that the final image turned out to be as less aggressive as possible. The Princess of Draconia decided not to take many things with her, only the bare necessities — perhaps the flight would be short, and Buck would remain a beautiful dream for her for the rest of her life. But Ardala's heart did not want to believe it.
Having finished her preparations, the Princess, accompanied by the faithful Tigerman, made her way to the control room, as she had said. There, under Kane's supervision, the overall direction of the flagship's flight was carried out. Two and a half dozen crew members monitored the readings of the instruments, studied the holographic map of the galaxy, and conducted radio conversations.
"Greetings to you all!" The Princess addressed the audience, which caused them a slight bewilderment.
But it was not the suddenness of the phrase that made these people freeze for a moment or two, and then look at the mistress of the ship with surprise. It's just that Ardala had never before condescended to such trifles as greeting "mere mortals". She walked swiftly to the control panel and spoke exclusively to Kane, while the others acted as a kind of decoration.
"How are you?" Ardala stunned them a second time, unfazed by her reaction to her greeting.
The stupor, however, quickly passed, and in response there were counter-greetings, compliments, and questions.
Ardala gave each (or every) attention as much as possible, after which the people returned to their duties. The Princess walked over to Kane, and lowering her voice slightly, said to him, "Please, arrange for my personal shuttle to be prepared."
"I suppose you're going to fly to him?" — Kane has always been extremely sagacious.
"I don't have to!—" The girl almost burst into flames, forgetting herself for a moment, but then she came to her senses. "Yes, to him—"
"You can't go alone— it's not supposed to be the case, and then—"
"Kane, let's get out so we don't disturb the others."
They left the hall and, after walking some distance along the corridor, stopped on a platform in front of a large panoramic window, through which they could clearly see the surrounding space. Ardala was the first to speak again.
"Let's not fight over this," she urged the minister. "After all, we have a truce with the Earthlings, and they are the kind of people who will not commit treachery and harm me."
"That's not what I'm afraid of—"
"Then what? Protocol violations? It's all nonsense! Or that I might not come back? Trust me, that's not going to happen, for I won't run away from Draconia like a naughty child in fear of punishment."
"Your father's punishments, or rather reactions— And why did you give up this Rogers, Princess?"
"Kane, didn't I often act like a child?"
Seeing that the councillor hesitated, she added, "Be brave, Kane, tell the truth! Don't be afraid!"
"Yes," he said cautiously.
"Oh, yes," the girl smiled a little sadly, "but lately I've learned a lot and finally matured. I know now that I love Captain Buck Rogers, the five-hundred-year-old man you once brought aboard our ship. And you have no idea how grateful I am to you for that! I also want to apologize for my past behavior — please don't hold a grudge against me!"
"Princess, I—"
"As for flying, I'm determined to fly. One. Understand that it will be better this way. As for my father, I'm willing to take on all his wrath."
Ardala looked expectantly at Kane, who was trying to come up with arguments against it. But, in the end, he was forced to admit that the Princess would still do things her way, and who was he, in fact, to forbid her to dispose of her private life. In the end, the advisor answered, "Let our flagship at least get close to the Searcher, and then do as you know."
"Okay, let's do that," Ardala agreed.
The huge ship changed course, instead of one of the Draconian colonies, where it was heading on an inspection trip, flying towards Earth. Thanks to the most powerful engines, the journey was not long and took less than an hour in the usual time equivalent for us. At the same time, the Princess's personal shuttle was once again thoroughly checked, refueled, and prepared for flight.
And now, leaving the belly of the gigantic Draconia, she rushed to meet her fate.
